A New Start
by GuardianWolfman
Summary: An AU starting around the end of 'Into Darkness'. Discover new slightly different relationships and what occurs on their five year mission.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is my first Star Trek Fanfiction so please bear that in mind. If you don't like don't read. Please don't flame.**

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><p>It was just an ordinary day as far as Jim knew when he awoke to find Carol sitting by his bedside. "Morning", Jim mumbled groggily.<p>

"Morning Jim", Carol replied cheerfully. "Leonard tells me you are being released today and he asked if I might escort you back to your apartment so I could make sure you rest up." Jim frowned but nodded slowly. If memory served him right then it was supposed to be Bones not Carol escorting him home.

"Where is he? Where is Bones?" Jim croaked, his voice rough from lack of use. He closed his eyes as he winced in pain as he shifted slightly on the bed. Moving still caused him to shudder as a bone deep agony coursed through his system.

"I'm not sure. He said he had other matters to attend to. He wouldn't have asked me to but they required his immediate attention", Carol answered hesitantly. Jim however didn't notice the hesitation due to his discomfort. Carol did notice however notice the captain's discomfort and pursed her lips. ""Jim, are you sure you want to be released when moving causes you such pain? Let me at least get a doctor in here to give you something for pain relief", she said quickly before moving out the doorway to go find someone to alleviate his pain.

Jim sighed and kept his eyes closed until he heard voices approaching his bedside. "Jim", a female voice breathed softly. "Miss Marcus tells me you are in severe pain. Is that correct?" Jim opened his eye to look the female doctor in the eyes as he nodded while gritting his teeth. "As your personal physician Doctor McCoy has full control over treatments and diagnosis. He has made it clear that you are to be released today if that is your wish but only if you have someone to accompany you home to watch over you. He also instructed me in what medication we may give you for pain relief. Apparently you have numerous allergies that restrict our usual choice of medication but Doctor McCoy left with me with a list of alternatives. If you give me a few minutes I shall prepare a hypo and return." Receiving no reply from her patient she departed quickly and returned mere seconds later.

"This will make you drowsy for several hours but once the drowsiness has worn off you are free to leave with Miss Marcus", she told Jim as she stabbed the hypo in his neck. "Miss Marcus if you would just sign the paperwork and pick up the prepared hypos for Jim before you leave", she added before she departed again.

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><p>Seven hours later Jim eased himself down on to the sofa in his apartment as Carol was in the kitchen making them both a drink. Bringing two glasses into the living area of Jim's apartment she set them on the table and settled into an arm chair across from him.<p>

"You know Carol you don't need to do this. You don't need to stay with me", Jim groaned as he moved into a more comfortable position. "I'll be just fine alone. And I won't even really be alone because Bones should be back from his shift at the hospital soon."

Carol sighed to herself as she reached down and pulled a letter from the bag by the side of the armchair she was sitting in. "No he won't, Jim. He isn't at the hospital."

"Where is he then?" Jim asked harshly ignoring the pain that shot across his ribs as he tried to sit up.

"He left this for you. To explain it", Carol told Jim as she handed him the letter Doctor McCoy had given here yesterday.

Jim saw Bones' elegant handwritten 'Jim' and unfolded the paper to see that his best friend had left him a letter.

_Dear Jim,_

_I'm sorry I wasn't there to help you settle in back at your apartment after you left the hospital but Carol has promised me she will watch over you until such time as you are able to function fully on your own once again. I've gone. I've resigned from Starfleet as of this morning so you will need to find a new chief medical officer for the Enterprise. I've left a list of my recommendations for the position with Carol so when you are recovered you can organise your new crew as soon as possible. _

_When I first joined Starfleet you remember what I said to you don't you, that first time we met on the shuttle? 'All I've got left is my bones' I said and you gave me that damn nickname. Well having made our way through the academy together and spending two years in service aboard the U.S.S Enterprise has taught me so much. That first statement I made to you is certainly no longer true. I have more than just my bones. I've got my beautiful daughter Joanne; although I nearly lost her while we were busy stopping Khan. I've got all you pests that seem to have nothing better to do than to annoy me while I try and do my job._

_And of course I have you. Dammit Jim. You, the biggest pain in my arse I've ever had the misfortune to know. Or rather I had you all. Since I've resigned I guess I don't have any of you any longer. But I hope you will all be able to understand that I need to leave. I've already lost too much and knowing I almost lost Joanne, well I knew I had to spend more time with her. I'm moving back to Georgia and I plan to stay indefinitely._

_All the best, Jim._

_Leonard 'Bones' McCoy_

Jim felt his heart sink as he finished reading the letter. Bones was gone. And he wasn't coming back. Jim would almost rather go back to being badly treated in the hospital without Bones. A huge part of the appeal of leaving hospital so soon was that Bones was supposed to look after him at their shared apartment. He had felt bad because Bones had been making himself ill by always waiting by Jim's bedside. Bones had brought him back from the dead and since then he had hardly left Jim's side. The experience had brought them even closer together, which was saying something as they were already best friends. Indeed there was something more between them lately. Jim had noticed it a while back when he first became captain but he had never worked out what it was.


	2. Chapter 2

Leonard put down his scotch as his mind ran through the situation he found himself in. He hadn't necessarily lied to Jim in his letter. He had moved back to Georgia but not to the part he had come from. And he had said he planned to spend more time with his daughter Joanne. Well he would be if he could ever convince his demon ex wife to let him see his little girl more often. He'd taken up a job at a local hospital, working part time and living in a rundown studio apartment.

His life had now officially hit rock bottom. When he started out with Starfleet he had believed he only had his bones. Jim had proven to him that he still had things to live for, that he had more than just his bones. He had reminded the grumpy older man that he had his daughter. After throwing up over the younger man Leonard had been pretty sure he lost the only welcoming person he had met. However Jim had accepted Leonard's apology and Jim had shown him that he could have friends. Throughout the last four years he had been repeatedly blessed with friends even with his gruff disposition.

Now it all seemed like some cruel joke that over the space of four years he had managed to build up his life only to lose everything he had managed to gain back. The cruellest part of it all was not that it had all been ripped away from him but that he was choosing to lose almost everything out of fear.

Picking up the scotch he had put aside he drained the last of it from the glass as he heard a knock come at the door. Pushing all his depressing thoughts to one side he stood and moved across the room to open the door. Opening the door the Doctor blinked stupidly in surprise to find Lieutenant Helmsman Hikaru Sulu of the U.S.S Enterprise standing outside his apartment. Stunned into silence Leonard stood there waiting for the man before him to vanish. No one could have found him. Not yet at least, he had only been gone three days.

"Leonard", Hikaru breathed quietly after a moment of the doctor standing and staring at him.

"Sulu?! Is that you?" Leonard replied as the effects of his shock evaporated.

"Of course it is me", Hikaru replied confused by the question. "Would you mind if I came in?"

"What?" Leonard frowned. "Oh yes. Do come in." Stepping aside he let his friend in and closed the door. Indicating the rough wooden table laden with papers and a half empty bottle of scotch, Leonard led the way before attempting to clear one end. After a moment he sat in a chair opposite the helmsman and asked the question that had been on his mind since the man's appearance on his doorstep, "How did you find me?"

Hikaru chuckled lightly before he answered, "You told Jim where we could find you."

"But I didn't tell him specifically where. I just told him Georgia", Leonard countered quickly. The helmsman quickly looked away without remarking on the Doctor's comment.

"Look Jim didn't tell us everything. He just told us that you wanted to spend more time with your daughter and that you almost lost her recently. As a parent I can relate. If anything happened to my little girl I don't know how I would cope", Hikaru told him honestly. "But the thing is you can't hide away either. If you let fear dictate what you can and can't do with your life you might as well be dead. Cutting everyone out of your life isn't going to help you cope if the unthinkable happens. Having friends means that no matter what happens you've always got someone who's got your back."

"Wow. That was really insightful and if it hadn't been just three days since I resigned maybe I would have had time to think of that myself", Leonard sassed. "The thing is I've been drinking a lot to keep myself from thinking about it too much. I've slipped back to the good old coping mechanism known as alcohol. Besides there is more; more you don't know about, hell even Jim doesn't know about it. I need time to work through everything and yeah it might be selfish of me wanting some space but it's necessary. So would you mind leaving and you can tell Jim from me", the doctor continued gruffly as he led his friend back towards the door. "You can tell Jim that worrying about me isn't going to help him recover. Dammit he should be resting", McCoy finished before he nodded and slammed the door shut.


	3. Chapter 3

It had been a few days since Hikaru Sulu had visited and Leonard McCoy was beginning to think maybe his old crew where listening to him and respecting his wishes until he received a knock on his apartment door and he opened said door to find Pavel Chekov standing there smiling impishly at him.

"Dammit Chekov! What the hell are you doing here?" the doctor growled while standing aside to let the kid enter his apartment. "Did Sulu not give you guys my message about wanting to be left alone?"

"Aye McCoy he tid", Chekov replied in his strong Russian accent. "I'm folloving de captain's orders. He dold me do come speak vith you. I brought dreats doo." Chekov lifted the basket that the doctor had not noticed in his right hand on to the table. "Captain Kirk recommends you dry one of ewerythink", the excited kid said proudly.

"No offence kid but Jim can't cook so if he made these they're probably going to taste like garbage", McCoy sighed remembering his first experience of tasting Jim's culinary skills.

"No vorrries toctor McCoy. He tidn't make dese. I tid", Chekov told him proudly. Leonard raised an eyebrow because he had heard that the kid could cook but he had never had the opportunity to try anything the kid had made. He reached into the basket and helped himself to one of the delicious looking brownies cursing that Jim knew him so well. Obviously Jim had told Chekov to use the doctor's sweet tooth to his advantage. Biting into the brownie Leonard was forced to hold back a moan because god dammit this kid really could cook. The ships replicators made food that had nutrition but never really tasted the same and here was a perfect sampling of his favourite childhood treat. It tasted even better than he remembered. "You like?" Chekov asked nervously after a moment.

"Well kid the rumours sure are true. You are a damn fine cook", McCoy praised him and ruffled the kids hair lovingly like he used to ruffle Jim's hair.

"Good, good. Wery good. So toctor vill you come back do Starfleet, back do de Enterprise? Your family misses you wery much", Chekov asked.

"My family?" McCoy muttered confused.

"Of course tocter. All de crew is family, right? You're like the grumpy vncle", Chekov explained stopping suddenly as he realised what he said. "Not dat dat is bad. Every family has a grumpy vncle and you're ours aren't you?"

Leonard looked at the kid that suddenly seemed scared of him and felt something tugging at his heartstrings yet he refused to let it show on his face. "Look kid I wish it was that simple but really it isn't. I can't just come back even if I wanted to now. I've resigned. I'm honoured that you thought of me as family and I guess you might say I maybe thought of all you guys in a similar way and I still do but none of you need me. I need to stay here now while the Enterprise still needs all you guys." McCoy walked over and pulled the kid into a sideways hug. "Now really you guys need to accept that I've moved on and you need to move on as well. So take your basket of delicious baked goods and tell Jim to stop sending his crew to harass me."

Chekov pulled out of the hug and moved to the door opening it before he spoke, "De captain vanted you do have dem. He knew you liked dem. And I vill go but tocter you should know better than any vone dat de captain von't stop vntil you return." Without another word the small Russian kid pulled the door closed behind him and left him to his thoughts.


	4. Chapter 4

Almost a week had passed since he resigned from Starfleet and he had already had two visitors from his old crew. Leonard wished they would all just leave him alone. With the constant visits his depression was settling in worse than it had before and even his old coping mechanism of alcohol wasn't working as well as it used to. Even worse his job wasn't as fulfilling as he had hoped it might be or as fulfilling as he used to find it. The job reminded him too much of the thing he was trying to leave behind.

Now with two full days off work stretching before him he was at a loss of how to cope. Before when he had been going through his divorce it would have led to him drinking until he blacked out. Now however he always stopped before he could blackout because of Jim. Back when they had both been studying at the academy they had agreed to cut back on the drinking. Together they had managed to beat their addiction to alcohol unless driven to it by some sombre depressive event. Even then they helped each other and so it had been over three years since Leonard had actually felt the need to commit such an act of wickedness against his own body.

Without Jim though he had thought it would be easy to break the habit however that had not proven to be true. Every time he attempted to drink himself into a stupor he found him thinking of his former captain. The disappointed look on Jim's face always kept him from drinking such a quantity that would induce such a state.

Suddenly a knock at the door roused Leonard from that dark place within his mind that tortured him worse the longer he spent away from his former crew. Sure he may not have shown that he was bosom buddies with everyone but he had an appearance to uphold didn't he? So yeah he always had a grumpy sour disposition about his countenance, given his life experiences no one could blame him.

Moving across the room he opened the door with an apprehensive feeling of dread. He would bet anything that the person on the other side of the door was a crew member of the U.S.S Enterprise. He was not surprised therefore to open the door and find chief engineer Montgomery Scott outside his residence. "Good evening", Scottie exclaimed happily shuffling past the doctor to bring in his heavy bag.

"Engineer Scott, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Leonard asked sarcastically.

"What does a friend need an excuse to come visit?" Scott replied off hand. "I thought since you left you might be a wee bit lonely. Thought a nice brew might be in order", the engineer continued. "In fact Jim asked me to bring my finest with me. He thought you might appreciate some old fashioned homemade brew."

"Great, just great. Is anyone actually looking after Jim properly? He is supposed to be resting dammit. Not thinking of ways to provide his deserter with comfort and luxuries", McCoy grumbled.

"Aye, Carol is still with him. She ain't left his side since he was released. She says he is recovering quite well given that he is well, Jim", Scottie told him while handing him a brew. Leonard took a sip of the dark alcohol and then quickly took another of the strong nectar. Leonard followed this up with a nod of thanks for both the alcohol and the information.

"So Jim still hasn't accepted that I have resigned I take it?" Leonard asked rhetorically already knowing the answer but needing to fill the silence.

"Aye. It is a strong belief among the senior officers of the crew that he will never accept it. He will send crew member after crew member until he breaks your resolve and you return to your chief medical officer post", Scottie said as he took a long draught from his brew.

"Ha", Leonard laughed bitterly. "He'll run out of crew members before he breaks me."

"Aye possibly", the engineer mused. "You are a stubborn git but then so is Jim. It'll come down to who breaks who first. And what breaks first; your resolve versus your bond of friendship with him."

The pair continued drinking in comfortable silence. Leonard thought about what had just been said and realised that Scottie was right. He'd placed himself in a situation that would never have a happy resolution. The only resolutions he could see ended in him destroying friendships which is precisely what he had initially wanted or he returned to Starfleet and tried to repair his reputation while simultaneously dealing with his own fears and pain. There were of course other options but they all ended in the same sort of conditions as far as he could see.

"You're right Mr Scott. I guess we will have to wait and see how things play out". Leonard told his visitor before standing. "I thank you for the delicious brew but I need to ask you to leave. Tell Jim I won't be changing my mind. I didn't want to sever all ties with the crew of the Enterprise but it was a necessity. I'd appreciate it if he would stop his crew from harassing me and perhaps instead they might be put to better use helping their captain regain his strength."

"Very well. If that is your decision I will leave. I will also pass your message on to Jim", Scottie replied. "But don't expect him to give up."


	5. Chapter 5

Another three days passed and Leonard wondered what Jim's next tactic would be. So far he had tried a subtle friendly approach but if Leonard knew Jim as well as he thought he did then it was likely that the friendly gloves on approach would end shortly. The question that plagued him was who would be his next visitor and what would their tactic be to persuade him to return to Starfleet. As much as he tried to forget them all the visits made that impossible and therefore even though he had told the Russian whiz kid that he had moved on it had been nothing more than a lie.

As he pushed his apartment key into the lock he paused as he saw his next visitor approach him from the right, walking towards him silently. "Oh god dammit kid. Why did you have to send him?" Leonard cursed Jim under his breath.

"Good evening doctor", Spock greeted him as he approached.

"What's good about it?" Leonard retorted hoping he could find a way to get the horrible green blooded hobgoblin to just leave him alone.

"I merely was trying to greet you in a manner consistent within human protocol", Spock explained. "Would you rather I greet you with a simple 'evening doctor' next time and forgo the pleasantries?"

"I'd rather you just leave me alone if you'd really like to know", Leonard muttered but left the door open so Jim's first officer could follow him in. "So Jim's new tactic is to have you irritate the hell out of me so I rejoin is it? I think maybe he needs to rethink his strategy."

"I'm unclear if that was one of Jim's intentions but I hypothesis that he hopes I might be able to convince you with a logical argument to rejoin Starfleet", Spock replied.

"Jim obviously needs to rest more because his brain must be overworked if he thought that would work", Leonard muttered to himself.

"I understand the reason why you want to spend time with your daughter doctor even if it is an emotional rather than a logical reason. But logic dictates that you can better provide for your daughter on a Starfleet salary than a small town hospital salary. As Earth's laws require you to help your ex wife support your daughter finically I believe it is my duty to make you realise that your current course of action is a highly illogical one", Spock droned on.

"Well thank you for your input but I didn't ask for it", Leonard replied coldly. "Money isn't the only thing that matters Spock. And I'm not just doing this for my daughter. You always put logic above emotion so tell me when an individual finds them self in a situation that causes them daily emotional turmoil what should they do?"

"I am not sure I understand the question doctor but if you find yourself in a situation that emotionally compromises you then the logical answer would be to remove yourself from that situation as per Starfleet protocol,", Spock told the doctor.

"Well then we agree on something", Leonard snapped. "I made the logical decision so you can leave now."

"What situation emotional compromised you doctor?" Spock asked determinedly.

"How about the almost death of my daughter you emotionless robot?" Leonard spat.

"No that is not the situation in question. You said you were not only doing this for your daughter. There is another situation that emotionally compromised you and I am asking what it was?"

"And I am telling you that it is none of your business", Leonard yelled back. "I made a decision that is both emotional and logical, it may not have been my best decision but it was the best option I had at the given time. Now get out of my apartment." Leonard glared at Spock for a moment before the Vulcan glanced away and headed for the door.

Before leaving he turned once more to face the doctor, "I believe Jim's strategy may have been successful after all. He had hoped my logic approach would cause you to become emotional and let slip more information on the puzzling situation of your resignation", he told the doctor. Without another word he opened the door and disappeared through it closing it with a slight snap behind him.


	6. Chapter 6

Leonard was left fuming in rage at his own stupidity for the next few days. Of course he should have seen it. He may not have a genius level IQ but he did count himself as a person of above average intelligence. Factor in that he knows his former crew members just as well as they know him and of course they would be trying to understand why he had left. Those he was closest to would not accept the fact that he left just because of a scare regarding his daughter's life.

Jim had instructed his senior officers to hound him in an attempt to extract information from him. The first two were to soften him up and catch him off guard. Scottie's visit had been to gather information when alcohol lowered his guard. And Spock's had been to gather the information Jim knew he would only let slip to the Vulcan because of his unique ability to frustrate him to such a degree. Indeed Leonard had said far more to each officer than he had intended to and now he would have to live with the consequences. Of course they would still be no closer to discovering the other reason for his resignation he was certain.

One thing was becoming clear to him though Jim would eventually turn up on his door step when he was well enough and since he had not seen the man in just over two weeks he had no idea how long before that visit would occur. Going from what he knew of Jim's condition on the day of release he estimated he had another week. He would have to make sure he was gone by then because if there was one thing Leonard was certain of it was that James Tiberus Kirk was his weakness, his Achilles heel.

A knock came upon his door early the day before he was scheduled to transfer to a different hospital the other side of the state. Horror flooded his system as he considered that it could be Jim himself. However opening the door he exhaled in relief when he found himself face to face with Lieutenant Uhura. "Hello Darling", he sang still slightly intoxicated from the night before.

"Don't you 'hello darling' me", she shouted at the doctor as she pushed her way into his apartment. "Are you drunk doctor? I thought I it was bad enough I had to deal with a drunk captain", she muttered as she glanced around the room at the boxes and the unusual tidiness of the doctor's apartment. "You're packing. Are you going somewhere?" she asked the slightest bit hopeful that she might have it easier than her fellow crew members thought. Maybe his resolve had broken and he was returning.

"Yeah doll, I'm packing", Leonard replied. "Where I am going is none of your business though is it?"

"So you're not returning to your role as chief medical officer aboard the Enterprise then?" Nyota sighed as her hope plummeted. Jim would need to know that Leonard was trying to escape them again. The doctor gave her a disapproving glance which answered her question well enough for her to continue without a spoken answer.

"What do you think you are doing Doctor McCoy? You are aware that all of this is hindering Jim's recovery right?" she demanded of him angrily. "You're supposed to be his physician but more importantly you were supposed to be his friend; his best friend in fact. I guess I got that wrong though because a friend would be there for him to help him recover and not hinder his recovery by causing him distress."

"And if Jim were my friend shouldn't he understand I need my space?" Leonard growled back angrily at the woman who scarily reminded him of his ex wife.

"No. Jim understands what you are going through and it's like Hikaru told you when he was here. You don't run away from the people who care about you when you find your life hard. You lean on them and ask them for advice and support", Nyota screamed back at him tears of anger slightly clouding her eyes.

"So you are saying I should just abandon my daughter?" Leonard asked her in a cold angry voice.

"No that's not what I'm saying and you know it. It's not healthy to centre your whole life around one person. Does your family on board the Enterprise not mean anything to you?"

"Of course they mean something to me. They mean a lot to me. I can't just sit around and watch them die though, can I?" Leonard shouted back.

"So that's what this is about is it?" Nyota asked her voice crackling with more anger at the seemingly selfish doctor before her. "You think that the rest of us didn't feel terrible when Jim almost died? You think the rest of us don't care for him?"

"Of course not! I know you all felt heart broken when he almost died. Of course you all care for him. But it's different because he's only your friend and captain", Leonard cried back.

"So because he is like a younger brother you think it gives you the right to act this way", Nyota fumed. "Family doesn't work that way or at least it shouldn't."

"He's more than a brother to me alright?" Leonard yelled before he snapped his mouth closed once he realised what he had said in his anger induced haze. He looked away to the floor as he moved over to take a seat at the table.

"You see him as more than a brother?" Nyota repeated in confusion rather than in anger this time. "But if his is more than a brother that means you either see him as a son..." Lieutenant Uhura stopped when she saw the broken man before her flinch. "Or as a lover", she whispered quietly to herself. "You resigned and fled because you couldn't bear to watch the man you love die again", she continued whispering her monologue quietly as she put all the pieces together.

"Would you just leave me alone now?" Leonard said quietly. "You know why I did what I did and you have to understand how I feel after Spock almost died in that volcano."

"I do understand. That's why I can't just leave. It's like I said earlier you lean on your friends when you need them and they support you. You need to come back and tell Jim how you feel Leonard. It's what's best for both of you", she whispered softly.

"You want me to go back and tell the straight man I have fallen for that I love him when he already has eyes on someone else? Are you insane? Has spending that much time with Spock actually made you lose your mind?" Leonard asked as he floundered at the thought of her suggestion.

"Yes. Well not exactly. I think you need to get it off your chest so you can come back to work because the Enterprise needs you. I haven't lost my mind and you should be politer about my boyfriend unless you want to incur my wrath", Nyota paused. As the doctor watched he frowned as if he could almost physically see the struggle the woman seemed to be going through mentally. "I also think you might have underestimated Jim. Even if... even if he doesn't feel that way about you he isn't insensitive." Without further comment she walked to the still open door and paused.

"I'll see you back aboard the enterprise", she said through pursed lips before she disappeared.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Will be coming back to update chapters because I'm not completely happy with them but had to get the story started because I was itching to get started.**

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><p>Leonard sighed as he sat at the table in his new apartment. Dammit why couldn't the Enterprise crew leave him alone? He'd resigned hadn't he? Yet they had followed him all the way to Georgia and he still hadn't found out how they located him the last time. Now their constant visits had forced him to move again.<p>

A total of three weeks had passed since he resigned and he had been forced to move twice. He'd left his rundown apartment the other side of Georgia just yesterday so he hadn't had the chance to unpack when his doorbell went off. Striding across the room to open the door he was once again struck dumb by the person behind the door. It was none other than Jim.

"Jim?!" Leonard shouted in surprise. "What are you doing here? How did you find me?" Leonard pulled his friend into his apartment and sat him down on a chair. "Jim you really should take better care of yourself. You only got out of hospital three weeks ago. You shouldn't exert yourself yet."

"Bones!" Jim shouted. Leonard fell silent. "If you stop talking maybe I can answer some of your questions", Jim added. "I'm here to talk to you and you should already know how I found you. I am a genius you know?! Hacking into the academy system to add a sub routine for the Kobayashi Maru test was barely a challenge. Hacking the system to see where you moved to was a piece of cake." Jim smiled at the older man.

"Jim", Leonard said sternly. "You can't just hack the system any time you feel like it but since I have you here maybe you will listen to me. Stop sending your crew to harass me. I. Resigned. I'm not coming back."

"Yeah I know I listen to my crew. They told me about their visits to see you", Jim smirked. "I heard some interesting things too. But before we get to that I just wanted to say I'm sorry Bones about your Joanne. I'm sorry I couldn't be there for you and I am sorry that I put all that extra work on you when you should have been with her. I understand that you want to spend time with her so if you come back I promise I'll give you a couple of months shore leave to make it up to you."

"Jim I already told you I'm not...", Leonard began before he was interrupted.

"Bones please just for once listen to me", Jim said in a frustrated tone. "I know what you are afraid of and no before you ask none of the crew told me. I know because... Would you stop pacing already? It's very distracting."

"Sorry", Leonard McCoy apologised sitting down opposite his former captain while shaking with nerves. The one man who could break his resolve sat opposite him and with just a few words Leonard knew he would be drawn back into the very situation he had run from. "How are you feeling Jim? Are you fully recovered?" Leonard asked sweeping his medically trained eye over the younger man.

"I'm fine, Bones", Jim replied casually. "Bones I need you to come back and be my chief medical officer aboard the Enterprise for two reasons. Firstly you are the best damn doctor Starfleet ever had. Secondly because I need you, Bones. I can't do this without you."

"Jim there are other doctors just as qualified as me on the Starfleet payroll and you don't need me", Leonard said quietly.

"You're wrong Bones. No doctor has ever done as much for me as you and I do need you. I need you like I need air to breathe and water to drink. Since I became captain I noticed something different between us but it took you resigning and leaving me before I was able to determine what it was", Jim rushed out quickly. "Bones, I mean Leonard I love you."

Leonard sat stunned into silence sure this was a dream or something because there was no way Jim just said aloud the words he had longed to hear for over three years. "Well please say something Bones. I just bared my soul to you and you don't say anything."

"That is so weird", Leonard muttered.

"Wait a minute I am having a de juva. Did you just say that is so weird?" Jim asked rubbing one of his temples, willing the memory away.

"Yeah, sorry about that. What I meant to say is I love you too", Leonard replied as he took Jim's hand across the table and squeezed it gently. A brilliant smile spread across Jim's face.

"Does this mean you will reconsider being my chief medical officer?" Jim asked cheekily.

"Only you Jim", Bones sighed shaking his head while smiling. "Only you would ruin a moment by asking about work. But yes if Starfleet will allow me my old post then I would be happy to reclaim my position aboard the Enterprise. I would go anywhere Jim as long as we go together. But wait a minute what about Carol?"

"What about Carol?" Jim asked.

"Well I thought you liked her?" Bones admitted. "That's sort of why I flirted with her. I wanted to rile you up."

"Bones you should know me well enough by now. I'm James Tiberius Kirk. I'm one of the biggest flirts Starfleet has seen. Yet as of right now though there is only one man I have eyes for and he is sitting opposite me holding my hand", Jim smiled, a light blush colouring his cheeks.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Start of the five year mission in this chapter.**

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><p>"Come on Bone's it'll be fun", Jim said playfully as he placed his hands on the older man's shoulders, while his eyes twinkled mischievously.<p>

Leonard McCoy waited until Jim walked away before he muttered to himself, "Five years in space. God help me."

"Carol Marcus", Jim beamed at his one of his newest crew members. "It's nice to have you aboard. Welcome to the family."

"It's nice to have a family", Carol replied with a smile before Jim walked away towards the centre of the bridge.

"Mr Sulu take us out", Jim ordered as he sat down in the captain's chair. "We'll start by heading out to the gamma quadrant. Mr Sulu plot a course for the gamma quadrant please."

"Yes, Captain. Course laid in", the helmsman replied.

"Punch it, maximum warp", Jim replied excitedly. "Lieutenant Uhura, open a channel please", he added as he looked over his shoulder at his chief communications officer.

A few seconds later and Jim heard her say, "The channel is open captain."

"Thank you, Lieutenant", Jim nodded. Pressing the communication button on the arm rest of his captain's chair he began his ship wide broadcast. "Attention crew of the U.S.S Enterprise this is your captain, James Kirk. It is a great honour to be the first Starfleet crew to be given a five year exploration mission. Right now we are heading to the gamma quadrant. Arrival is estimated around midday in a weeks time at which time science officers will begin scanning the area to determine our best starting point. Once they have located a life sustaining planet we will set up a base and move forward from there. Until then I'll ask all staff to prepare their stations ready for arrival and I'll ask the chief officer of every division to meet me in the captain's ready room in an hour for a preliminary mission meeting. Kirk out."

"Captain, may I enquire why you have not notified me of this meeting before now?" Spock asked as he approached Kirk.

"You didn't need to know before now. I was planning to bring it to your attention when it became necessary which I guess it just did", Jim smirked. "Now Mr. Spock I'm leaving you in charge while I attend to a few other matters", Jim told his first officer as he rose from the captain's chair.

"But captain", Spock began.

"But nothing Spock. I'll see you in the ready room in one hour", Jim told him before he marched off the bridge.

* * *

><p>An hour later Jim entered the captain's ready room to find his chief officers assembled and waiting for him start the meeting. "Good afternoon", he greeted them. "Now I'm sure you are all wondering why I have called you all here, so let's not waste any time. I called you all here today so we can welcome the new additions to the team." Jim noticed the glances between his chief officers at his use of the plural. "Firstly we all would like to welcome Carol Marcus as our chief weapons officer. Our second new addition will be joining us in about a minute."<p>

"Captain is it really necessary for the chief officers to conduct this meeting? I must tell you it is illogical to waste a senior officers' time on trivial social pleasantries", Spock frowned.

"Yes Spock I am already aware it is illogical, thank you", Kirk sighed.

"Jim this is strange, even for you", McCoy noted with a puzzled expression that showed he was trying to work out what his best friend was thinking.

Before Kirk could reply though the door behind him opened and in stepped a well built feline humanoid in a red Starfleet uniform. "Ah here he is. Guys I would like you to welcome our new chief officer of Security. Why don't you go ahead and introduce yourself?" Kirk added as he rounded the table to take his seat.

The feline looked like an Earth's tiger given the fur the crew could see. His body was well developed so his muscles bulged with the smallest movement and his yellow feline eyes were vertical slits rather than the usual human. The stranger stepped forward into the room's light fully as he spoke, "Good afternoon crew of the Enterprise. It is a pleasure to join your crew as chief security officer. My name is Hakou Reglis." The newcomer's voice was deep yet soft.

"Captain, I must protest. I'm sorry but this, this thing cannot be the new security chief", Carol choked out staring at Jim while pointing at the stranger.

"I must agree with Ms. Marcus on this", Spock nodded from his seat next to his captain. Jim seemed to smile slightly and relax back into his chair. He could see all his other officers were uneasy but refraining from commenting. "As your first officer it is my duty to tell you that appointing a Kzinti as a crew member let alone a chief officer is against regulation. Kzinti are a fierce war mongering race and banned from Starfleet enrolment for that reason. How he came to be onboard I am uncertain, but will soon find out."

Jim nodded to his first officer before he nodded to his new security chief. "First officer Spock is right of course but as I am not a Kzinti I guess there is no issue with me being here. Stop for a moment£, the newcomer instructed them. "And think over what you know of the Kzinti species and I think you will realise I am most definitely not what I would appear to be." The room became silent for a moment while all eyes focused on the newcomer. Suddenly Chekov's head snapped up. "Mr Chekov would you care to enlighten the others with your findings?" the newcomer asked politely.

Chekov looked at his captain for approval before he started speaking. "Zhere are three facts zat support your claim you are not Kzinti. First Kzinti have bat like ears, vhile yours are distinctly feline. Secondly you are shorter than any recorded Kzinti on Starfleet records and lastly the Kzinti are a wiolent race. You have treated us vith nothing but politeness vhile ve have been less than velcoming. If you were Kzinti you vould have become aggressive."

"Excellent deductions. And all three are correct", Hakou praised the Russian whiz kid. "The captain asked you all to attend this meeting for precisely this reason. It was foreseen that you would act this way. It is unfortunate but logical that you would act this way. First introductions always bring about such a reaction. Now you have had time to overcome your first impressions maybe you will give me the chance to explain the circumstances as was our captain's intentions." Hakou looked around to see the other chief officers he was expected to work with were showing they would listen.

"Since we are all here, we might as well hear him out", Sulu reasoned, while Spock and Carol still showed they were very much against this but humouring their captain's wishes.

"Please carry on Mr Reglis", Jim smiled from his seat.

"Of course captain", Hakou replied solemnly. "It is important for you to understand who I am if we are going to be able to work together amicably. Your vulcan member over by the captain I had hoped would be more accepting and open minded. You see like Mr Spock I am a child of two worlds. It's true there is Kzinti blood in my veins and that is what gives me the general appearance of their species. However I am also a child of Cait." The new security chief stopped briefly while he watched faces show understanding.

"Now I am going to give you a little bit of my history so you can better understand my position", Hakou spoke again in a stronger tone than before. "I was born twenty seven years ago on Cait after my mother returned home from a caitian colony on a distant world. Her return was forced due to the ransacking and destruction caused by a Kzinti raid party. During that time my mother was raped but a Kzinti general. My father", Hakou sneered. "He left her for dead and if it hadn't been for the federation ship that picked up the distress call it may have been the case. Nine months later I was born."

"That's horrible", Uhura gasped. Hakou smiled at her warmly, "Thank you. It is what it is; the past. Nothing can change it."

"Given the Nero incident I'd disagree with the truth of that statement", Spock mumbled to himself.

"I grew up on Cait for twenty years receiving welcomes similar to this one. It was a lonely childhood but a productive one. Due to the isolation from my fellow caitian I developed independence early. My mother who had been shunned from society since my birth encouraged me to develop my skills and abilities. She always told me I should use the alone time productively to sharpen my skills because later in life they would give me an advantage. Thankfully she was right."

"While it is valuable to know details about your infancy, it isn't exactly relevant to the matter at hand. How is it that Starfleet trained and deployed you to serve on this vessel?" Spock demanded.

"Perhaps you should ask Ms. Marcus", Hakou replied with a sly smile. Every eye turned up her at the mention of her name.

"_STAR_", she breathed.

"Pardon me", Doctor McCoy called across the table. Carol looked at the doctor before she looked at the security chief for confirmation.

"_STAR_ I said. It was a top secret program that I found documents for on the Starfleet system", Carol explained. "It was a program started and run by my father. Specialied Training for Advanced Recruits, STAR for short, took in individuals that would be rejected from Starfleet enrolment for whatever reason. The requirements for acceptance to the program were never clear and as far as I knew the program had only been planned. Nothing I found indicated it had been put into action."

"It was indeed put into action", Hakou told them taking over the conversation once more. "During a routine visit to Cait a Starfleet officer serving under the Admiral Marcus was investigating my people for potential recruits. The admiral hoped he could fill his militarised dreadnaught ship with officers that he considered superior to those found in the usual enrolment program. He was interested in finding caitian's for their superior senses and reflexes. The officer accidently stumbled upon me as he continued his investigation and unfortunately he came at a most opportune time for his purpose. My mother was ill and dying. When he saw what I was capable of he spoke to her and convinced her to enrol me in the program. She stayed with me for one week before she died. She lived just long enough to see me enrol". Hakou paused and wiped his eyes.

"Mr Reglis and others trained by this STAR program were discovered after the Khan incident", Jim spoke for the first time since he had handed over to his new security chief. "Upon the discovery of these Starfleet trained individuals the admirals decided to incorporate them into their current crews. I was called before the admirals after I recovered and they suggested that Mr Reglis would make a fine addition to the team."

"Captain, I think the word suggested is grossly incorrect. A more suitable term might be ordered", Hakou exchanged a smile with his new captain.

"Regardless whether it was ordered or suggested I agreed to the appointment and upon spending time with you it became clear you would indeed be a great addition, Hakou", Jim praised his officer.

"Thank you captain", Hakou bowed his head slightly.

"Now this meeting has run on long enough so we should all head back to our work stations", Jim told his crew. "Hakou I'll expect to see you in the senior officers' mess hall later."

* * *

><p>Hakou entered the senior officers' mess hall later that evening when the alpha shift finished. Spotting his new captain at a table with just the chief medical officer Leonard McCoy sitting beside him, Hakou made his way over to them after grabbing some food. "Captian, Doctor McCoy. Would you mind if I sit with you?"<p>

"Reglis! No of course not", Jim answered enthusiastically. "I'd be offended if you didn't. And it's Jim not captain. I understand if you wanna call me captain while we are on shift though, Reglis."

"Hakou", the cat replied as he sat down opposite the couple.

"Pardon me?" Jim replied confused while Doctor McCoy chuckled at the blond.

"You asked me to call you Jim not captain. Perhaps you would feel comfortable calling me Hakou instead of Reglis", Hakou replied with a sly smile, flashing his teeth. "That goes for you too Doctor McCoy."

"Yes Hakou, of course", the doctor nodded. "And it's Leonard."

"As you wish, Leonard. I must admit I already feel I know you", Hakou said as he started cutting up his steak. They lapsed into silence for a few moments. Leonard shuffled nervously in his seat as the passed by slowly. "So Leonard, are you happy to be aboard the Enterprise again?"

Leonard frowned before he answered, "Yes. Honestly it's better than before, much better."

"I feel the same way", Jim smiled as he took Bones' hand and rubbed his thumb over the man's knuckles. "What about you Hakou? Do you have someone special?"

Both the men opposite him lost their smile as they saw the sorrowful expression Hakou tried to hide, "No. No one special yet. With my background it's hard to find someone."

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked", Jim mumbled. "I should have thought before I spoke."

"It's alright, Jim. Now I'm not in isolation from everything maybe that will change", Hakou said well naturedly. "Leonard please doesn't feel sorry for me. Things are finally starting to look up for me."

Leonard looked at him confused for a moment, "I didn't realise I was so easily to read. Usually it's only the kid that can do that", he said nodding his head towards Jim.

"That's true. Only James Tiberius Kirk reads Bones", Jim chuckled.

"Not anymore, I'm afraid. And it's not just doctor McCoy I can read. I can read you just as easy captain", Hakou admitted. "I can read everyone on this ship. You see my personality is influenced by the caitian blood within me and the Kzinti blood in me gives me many of their advantages. It's not just their physical appearance, enhanced senses or strength. Within the Kzinti there are the rare ones. The rare ones are the bottom of Kzinti society because they are born with an ability that other Kzinti see as a weakness. They are born as telepaths but it works different than it does for vulcans. Vulcans are touch telepaths but the Kzinti are proximity telepaths."

"So you're telling me you can read our minds right now?" Leonard asks voice shaking with trepidation. Hakou just nodded while eyeing both of them with amusement.

"Oh god. Please tell me you haven't heard all my thoughts", Jim cried in alarm as he started to blush.

"Well I will tell you that if you'd like it. But the truth is unlike vulcan's I can lie", Hakou smirked while Jim hide his face in his hands. "And Leonard you should know your lover has quite the imagination." Hakou laughed loudly as both his captain and CMO blushed deep red. "Please don't worry I give both of you my word that what I hear in your thoughts will stay there. Though captain I think it would be wise if you understand my policy on telepathy. If I hear thoughts I consider troublesome I would like your permission to approach the individual and if the problem can't be resolved then I will bring it to you. Does that sound reasonable?"

Jim turned serious after recovering from the shock that his CSO had heard his lustful thoughts for his lover. "I think that sounds like a very reasonable protocol for us to adopt."

_Please don't feel self conscious around me now. Try to act normal. I've dealt with far more situations like this than you have._

"Hakou, what was that?" Jim asked.

"That was me using my telepath to talk to both of you. I hope you will both get used to my use of telepath as there will be times when I use it. If you hear my voice inside your head and you wish to reply all you need to do is think what you want me to hear", Hakou explained. "During covert operations it can be rather useful." Having finished his steak Hakou gulped down some water from the bottle in front of him before replacing the cap.

"I can see why the admirals wanted Jim to take you on as CSO now", Leonard said quietly. "A proximity telepath gives you a distinct advantage as a security officer."

"I can't think of anyone better for the position", Jim added. "Having got to know you before the mission began I can honestly say that you are the best person for the job. I fully trust you with the security of this ship and everyone on it."

"Thanks Jim", Hakou smiled. "And I learnt there is a no other Starfleet captain I'd rather work with. I'm grateful for the opportunity you have given me and I'm looking forward to getting to know the rest of the crew. I can already tell Leonard and I will get along great." Hakou laughed loudly again as he saw the doctor pull a grumpy face.

"Not sure about that", Leonard muttered. "But at least you aren't as bad as the green blooded hob goblin."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So does anyone have any comments on my OC? Please keep them polite.**


	9. Chapter 9

It was about midday a week later when Hakou heard the communication. "We've just left warp and arrived in the gamma quadrant. All science officers please report to stations and await instructions from chief science officer Spock. Meanwhile I'll ask all medical and security officers to prepare supplies for a landing. Kirk out."

Hakou sat up in his seat and pressed the button for the security communication loop, "Security officers start assembling the basic supplies in hanger bays one and two. Once the science officers have determined the environment of the planet further instructions will be issued. Lieutenant Mitchell, please have your squad at the ready in hanger bay three to help the medical team with supplies." Hakou stood to leave when his personal communicator bleeped.

"Chief security officer Reglis this is chief weapons officer Marcus. Please report to weapons development asap."

"Understood, be there in five", Hakou replied before closing the communicator. Moving across the room he walked swiftly down the corridor towards the lift that would take him up to weapons development. Stepping into the turbo lift he nodded a greeting to the crew members also using the lift. A moment later the lift door reopened and he stepped out into the weapons development.

Immediately a dark skinned man in a blue shirt approached him. "Lieutenant Commander Reglis, I believe. Lieutenant Marcus has asked that I show you to her. Please follow me", he said as he turned and headed right towards a separate smaller chamber. Hakou looked around as he was led round the weapons development deck. There were people attaching wires to open handheld phasers. Sparks were flying intermittently from the wiring of the skeletal phasers. The metallic shells, the casing of the phasers were piled on a work station next to each of the computer terminals. At each of these work stations another weapons member was putting together the phasers that were finished with.

Further back in the room other crew members were testing phasers on a shooting range. Flashes of blue and red streaked across the room to hit the targets at the back of the room. "Lieutenant Marcus, your visitor is here", the crew member leading Hakou said after a few minutes of them weaving further into the weapons bay.

The slight blond female looked up at the mention of her name. "Mr Reglis, as per your request and the captain's orders I have looked over your specialised phasers. They were indeed an interesting specimen of phaser. Unique if I'm not mistaken", she mused.

"Yes, they are. I had them designed and built during my time on the STAR program", Hakou answered.

"The removable magazine is an outdated idea but the twist you put on it is simply inspired", Carol whispered. "I wouldn't recommend these as a replacement for the Starfleet standard issue but if they are the weapon you prefer you have my approval." Handing over the weapons Hakou holstered them and nodded before turning away. "Mr Reglis, I wanted... I wanted to say I'm sorry about yesterday. I shouldn't have judged you", Carol mumbled.

"Thank you for the apology. I understand the reasons behind your objection and I'm glad some of them were addressed during the meeting. Perhaps with time you will grow to feel fondly of me. And please call me Hakou", the chief security officer gave a small smile before turning to leave.

"Very well Hakou. I'll have weapons brought down to the hanger bays when they are prepared", Carol called.

"Thank you that would be appreciated, Lieutenant Marcus."

"It's Carol", the weapons chief replied before returning to her work.

"Very well, Carol", Hakou replied as he left her to her work.

* * *

><p>Just as Hakou stepped foot on the security deck his comm device started bleeping. "Reglis here, go ahead."<p>

"Ah Lieutenant commander Reglis, Captain has ordered you go through a routine physical", doctor McCoy told him.

"Very well. Doctor I have a few I must attend to. Give me a few moments to check preperations are going as according to plan and then I will come down", Hakou replied.

"See you soon", the Doctor replied as he cut the communication connection. Moving across the room to his desk Hakou hit the communication button on his console once again. "Lieutenant Mitchell, the captain requests I attend a physical examination as per Starfleet regulations. Until I return you are in change of readying the supplies", he told his division.

"Understood", came the reply from his second in command.

Without further comment the security chief closed the connection and strode from his division in the direction of sick bay. Walking through the corridors Hakou noticed a few people still stared or jumped in shock. Not all the crew were used to him yet and since it was only his second day on board he could not really blame them. His appearance and his solid build he knew gave off a fierce aggressive impression. Until people took the chance to get to know him it served him well to keep people at a distance. Lost in his thoughts he had entered sick bay without realising it.

"Hakou, come with me", doctor Leonard McCoy said grabbing the caitian's arm and dragging him away to a bio bed. "Jim has ordered me to give you a full medical examination since there is no file detailing your medical history. He has instructed me to find you a physician as well. Take off your shirt and lie down on the bio bed and we can begin the scans while you answer some basic questions."

Hakou complied with the doctor's wishes stripping off his red shirt to reveal the muscular white furred chest. "Can we just get this over with so I can get back to work?"

"It takes as long as it takes. Please just let me do my job and don't whine about it like a baby. Last thing I need is another Jim", Leonard sighed. "Now I have done research on caitian physiology and the federation have granted me access to the restricted albeit sparse files we have on the Kzinti. The physiology of both species it seems is similar to humans with minor differences centred on the bottom of the spine and the skull. Do you agree with that assessment?"

"I do but you forgot to include the claws", Hakou replied.

"Interesting", the doctor muttered looking at the consoles of the bio bed. "The system is having difficulty reading your heart beat."

"Perhaps that is because the standard setting allows for the monitoring of one heart while I have a binary cardiovascular system", Hakou suggested shifting slightly on the bed.

"A binary cardiovascular system", Leonard muttered in awe. "Most unusual", he continued to mutter as he adjusted the console to track both hearts. "Are there any other abnormalities you wish to tell me?"

"No. To the best of my knowledge that is the only abnormalities of a physical nature. That is unless you wanna discuss brain neurology with me?" Hakou smirked from the bed. "Do many brain surgery operations happen aboard this ship?"

"Of course not", doctor McCoy scowled at the man who was purposely getting on his nervous just like a certain captain. "Tell me what you are talking about so I can put it in the notes anyway."

"My brain functions different to a caitian or a human brain. Whether that is due to my father or not has never been determined. While the majority of known species brain operate a repetitive eye movement sleeping phrase mine does not. I operate a unihemispheric sleep phase. This functioning of the brain is only overcome but severe exhaustion, drugs or injury, in which case I slip into REM phase of sleeping", Hakou explained.

"So you are telling me you don't actually need to sleep? One side of your brain is constantly in a state of rest", the doctor enquired.

"Yes", Hakou nodded.

"Good. The notes are finished and the scan is over. You can sit up and put your shirt back on", Leonard nodded to the chief of security. Settling into the seat beside the bio bed Leonard spent a few moments busy with his PADD. "Do you have any allergies?" he asked out of the blue.

"Not that I am aware of", Hakou replied.

"Any major physical illnesses or injuries?" Leonard asked the next question.

"During the STAR program I suffered broken bones", Hakou replied quickly.

"Which bones did you break?" Leonard asked.

"Over the course of my five years training I broke both arms and legs", Hakou muttered.

"Any history of mental illness?" Leonard asked.

"Not on my mother's side. And I think you will understand that I can't answer for my father's side", Hakou responded slowly.

"Thank you. All that's left is for me to collect a blood sample and we are done here", the doctor told him. "You're damn easier to work with than Jim." Standing from his seat Leonard walked the short distance back to the bio bed and pulled a small syringe capsule from his pocket. Removing the cap he pressed it against the caitian's arm and drew out enough blood to fill the capsule. "I'll notify you of the results as soon as the blood sample comes back. It is the captain's decision that you should be allowed into the away team should you desire to accompany them to the planet's surface, even if it goes against regulations."

"Thank you Doctor. I would expect nothing less from our captain", Hakou smirked as he turned to leave.

"Ah, Hakou I forgot to ask. Which doctor would you like as your physican?" Leonard called after the man.

"I'll let you decide. However that being said I would be honoured if you were to be my physician. I do know however that you already have a lot of work and I don't want to inconvenience you any further so I will not take any offence if you put me under the care of another doctor", Hakou rambled.

"When you are quite finished babbling", Leonard said gruffly. "I'd be happy to be your physician."

Hakou smiled back at the gruff Georgian doctor only to have his smile disappear when he heard Kirk's voice on the communication channel. "The away mission to the planet's surface has been postponed due to unusual readings. Science officers will continue to work to understand more about the readings. Communication officers will also begin monitoring the planet. Lieutenant commanders McCoy and Reglis report to the captain's ready room. Kirk out."


	10. Chapter 10

Entering the captain's ready room for the second time in twenty four hours Hakou stood just behind the doctor.

"You wanted to see us Jim?" Leonard asked as he moved to sit beside his captain, his best friend and his lover.

"Yes. Please sit down", Jim replied waving his hand at the seat the other side of him. Hakou walked over and took the seat while he waited for the captain to explain why he called for them. "Mr Spock asked me to delay the away mission due to the readings his division found. There is a class M planet we are currently heading towards but the readings indicate high levels of toxicity in the forests. The forests make up about forty percent of the land mass. While another fifty one percent is made up my rocky dry terrain and the last nine percent is surface water."

"But that can't be right Jim. Life couldn't exist on that planet if only nine percent is water", Leonard interrupted.

"Excuse me doctor but I believe that is surface water. Life might be sustainable if the indigenous species have a means to draw water from beneath the surface and if there is a significant supply", Hakou supplied before Kirk could say anything.

"He's right Bones", Jim nodded. "The thing is the readings mean 'an away mission of one team is illogical' apparently. It is Spock's recommendation that we send a minimum of three teams. Once science team, one medical and the other with various crew members, is what he suggested. He would like science and medical to work together to study the toxicity readings and address the water issue."

"Dammit", Leonard growled under his breath. "You're asking me to spend a significant amount of time with the green blooded goblin aren't ya?"

Jim Kirk leant forward in his seat and took the doctors calloused hands in his. Giving them a gentle squeeze he spoke softly, "It wouldn't be just you but a whole team." Jim smiled knowing it would help him break the doctors resolve.

"God dammit Jim", Leonard growled louder this time. "You know how I feel about space and now you wanna send me down to a planet with high toxicity levels, a planet with a whole new variety of diseases and dangers. And to top it off you sit there with the damn smirk knowing my answer already. Fine I'll agree to it", the doctor sighed grumpily.

"Excellent", Jim was positively beaming at his lover.

Hakou who had sat quiet and still so as not to disturb what he felt should be a private conversation between the two men coughed slightly, reminding them both they weren't alone. "I understand why you called Doctor McCoy here but what does this situation have to do with my division?" the cat asked when they both looked round at him.

"Well the readings show an indigenous species with warp capabilities but they also indicate a war hardened race with technology and weapons that may equal our own", Kirk told the two men.

"So not only might the plant life poison us but we have to contend with a race that might like to kill us", Leonard laughed sarcastically. "Jim, are you expecting anyone to come back from this mission alive?"

"You called me here for my opinion as your security chief then", Hakou surmised as he watched the captain carefully. "I know the importance of the mission and agree we need to start somewhere. Starfleet crew can't flee from a planet just because it has the possibility to kill them. If we did how could we call ourselves explorers?" Hakou mused. "Is the maximum number of teams that you are willing to send set at three?"

"You wanna send more people down to die?" the doctor exclaimed in surprise at the security chief's notion.

Ignoring Leonard for the moment Jim Kirk raised an eyebrow as he asked with curiosity, "What is it you would like to suggest?"

"If we are sending down one team of science officers and another of medical I'd advise a full team of security accompany them. Then I recommend a fourth team of various members with certain restrictions", Hakou replied firmly. Leonard settled down at the suggestion understanding the idea.

"What restrictions would you apply?" the captain asked remaining professional unlike Leonard.

"Firstly no crew member should be allowed on an away team without both communicator and phaser", Hakou replied holding his hand up to prevent the doctor from interrupting. "Doctor it is for your own safety I suggest this. I know your distaste of using a weapon therefore I'd be willing to allow your wishes if the captain should override my order. However as the vulcan would say 'it will need to be recorded in the ships log that my advice was ignored', alright?" Leonard nodded before he turned to Jim.

"If I do this Bones you'd be in danger. I want you to promise me you will stay right beside someone you trust", Kirk sighed as he looked into the older man's eyes.

"I will. I promise", the doctor agreed.

"Very well. Secondly the fourth team of mixed crew divisions should include at least a weapons expert and engineer. And thirdly each member of the fourth team must have some form of combat training", Hakou finished. "Captain I'm aware you don't have combat training but your reputation precedes you so I'll make an exception there."

"What about me?" Leonard shouted. "I don't have any combat training besides the Starfleet basic."

"Same as before, doctor. The captain's over ruling will suffice for you", Hakou sighed.

Both lieutenant commanders looked to their captain who was clearly debating the issue internally. "Agreed", he said after a moment of quiet consideration. "Each team will consist of seven members. We leave in three hours. Meeting adjourned", Jim said rising from his seat and heading towards the bridge entrance. "Bones you better get packing", Jim smiled back before he disappeared through the door.

* * *

><p>"Security chief Reglis, I was getting worried. Is everything okay?" Kirk asked as the security team joined the others in the transporter room ten minutes late.<p>

"Yes captain", Hakou replied. "I apologise for your late arrival. Supplies are being brought up from hanger bays as we speak. The decision to use the transporter over the shuttles is a good call. The indigenous species won't even know we are there."

"That's alright. You're here now", Kirk told him. "Scotty, please start sending people down to the designated point", he added as he turned to face his chief engineer.

"Alrighty Sir", Scotty replied happily. "First up security. Would seven of you please step onto the pad so I can beam you's down there." Hakou stepped forward and took a place with six others under his command. A few seconds later the blackness took over the party and when it cleared Hakou found himself standing on the edge of a jungle facing a vast dusty expanse. On the far horizon the sunlight caught on something that shimmered, perhaps something metallic.

"Take positions and keep your eyes open", Hakou said with a voice that rang with authority and his officers complied. Forming a circle with around thirty feet distance between them, the group waited for the other members of the away mission to arrive. The next group down was the mixed group, closely followed by the science team and finally the medical.

"Alright", Kirk called the group to order. "Medical and Science teams have been allotted an eight hour window to gather any samples they would like to take back to the ship for study. The second officer of each division is in charge with overall command falling to Lieutenant Mitchell. The Enterprise will contact you in eight hours. Good luck." Turning to the remaining crew members he smiled widely. "In the mean time we will be heading out in search of the indigenous species."

"Captain, you and I shall take point. Spock and ensign Fredricks will cover our backs", Hakou advised. "Lieutenant Marcus and engineer Smith please stay in the middle of the group at all times, since neither of you have combat training", the cat growled at the annoyance. Hadn't he made it very clear they needed advanced combat training and yet James Tiberius Kirk decided to allow them against his security chief's suggestion.

"Agreed", Kirk replied. "Let's move out." Hakou began walking towards the shimmer he had seen when he arrived; the others quickly falling into step behind him.

"So Spock", Jim said in a false cheery voice. "Care to inform us what we know of the indigenous species?"

"Yes, captain", Spock replied curtly. "All our sensors indicate a bipedal avian species with technology believed to match our own. They are humanoid in stature. Fully grown they stand at six to eight feet tall. Feathers cover their body including the wings on their back. Their planetary communications indicate they are a war hardened species. We were unable to determine how they survive on such a hazardous planet. Both water and toxin-free food appears to be scarce."

"But surely they can't survive without water or food", Carol muttered.

"No, you're right Lieutenant", engineer Smith replied. "My guess is their technology allows them to gather the water necessary for survival."

"And from Spock's assessment I would guess the species has developed immunities to certain toxins. That or they have developed a way to remove the toxins from the food in with case they would be readily supplied with an arsenal of poisons", McCoy muttered.

"Should we find ourselves in a hostile situation we must be extremely careful. Doctor, am I to assume that we currently have no antidotes to poisons found on this planet?" Hakou asked regretfully, already knowing the answer.

"That would be correct. Until medical and science officers have had time to analyse the samples they are gathering right now, we have no guarantees that our own antidotes will work", McCoy answered solemnly.

"Let's hope they're peaceful then", Fredricks sassed.

"Were you able to discover any positives from your scans, Spock?" Jim asked.

"Given the fact that their civilisation was obviously started over a thousand years ago and they are still alive I think it is possible they might have insights for the species of the federation pertaining to survival", Spock spoke quickly. "To have advanced their species in approximately half the time it took humans to reach the same point, we should assume they have a superior intellect comparatively."

"That might not be a point in our favour at the moment", Fredricks whispered in disapproval. The group had been wandering across the dusty expanse for a while now and it was only just now that they could see the start of civilisation. The buildings were made of a black metal alloy that stood out harshly against the red sky. The tallest of the buildings that could be seen was circular with standards posted evenly around the top. Yellow and black flags waved at the team from the distance.

"I don't like this", McCoy muttered.

"For once I agree with you", Carol admitted.

"It doesn't look inviting", engineer Smith added.

"Captain I think we should find some cover. I don't like us being in the open so much", Hakou advised.

"There isn't much we can use as cover, Reglis", Kirk replied.

"We could work our way east around the city's boundary. There are some large rocks that will provide us with some means of concealment strictly on a level basis", Hakou said in disagreement. "It will require us to keep low behind them but also provide us with a strategic point of defence. Should this avian species take to the skies though we will be sitting ducks."

"Very well understood", Jim nodded.


End file.
